Abu Dhabi:Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) has entered into strategic Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with the Egyptian Exchange (EGX) and Damascus Securities Exchange (DSE) during the Arab Federation of Capital Markets (AFCM) annual conference in Abu Dhabi.
According to Emirates News Agency, these agreements aim to establish a framework for cooperation on market development, cross-border trading, expanded investor access, and potential integration into the Tabadul hub.
The signing events were attended by notable figures including Waleed Saeed Al Awadhi, CEO of the UAE Capital Market Authority; Ghannam Butti Al Mazrouei, Chairman of ADX Group; Abdulla Salem Alnuaimi, Group CEO of ADX; Mohamed Yisr Barnieh, Syria's Minister of Finance; Omar Radwan, Chairman of EGX; Omar Barhamji, Chairman of DSE; and Basel Asaad, CEO of DSE.
Abdulla Salem Alnuaimi emphasized the importance of closer cooperation between regional financial markets to unlock new investment opportunities and promote cross-border trading. He noted that these efforts align with Abu Dhabi Vision 2030 and aim to enhance the emirate's status as a global investment hub.
Omar Radwan highlighted that partnerships between Arab financial markets are crucial for bolstering market resilience and attracting global investment. He believes the agreement with ADX will aid in cross-market trading and infrastructure development, supporting economic growth in both countries.
Basel Asaad remarked that Syria is pursuing greater economic openness and seeks to improve financial technology and infrastructure through partnerships like the one with ADX, which could enhance the efficiency of Syria's capital market.
The agreements build on previous regional cooperation, such as an MoU signed between EGX and DSE in 2006. EGX, founded with a mercantile futures market in Alexandria in 1883, is one of Africa's largest exchanges with a market capitalization of US$77 billion as of August 2026. Meanwhile, DSE, which began trading in 2009, has grown to 27 listed companies with a market cap of $2.1 billion. Through these collaborations, ADX continues to develop a multi-asset marketplace to support international investment flows.